


Better Than This

by inabodycastofglass



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Drinking, Jason's a natural flirt and if you disagree I will fight you, M/M, The post has to do with homophobia, You'll understand when you see the post
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 19:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11561475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabodycastofglass/pseuds/inabodycastofglass
Summary: Jason walks in on his roommate with another guy.





	Better Than This

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post: https://jacksonspaceprince.tumblr.com/post/163127878291
> 
> I've been wanting to make a Jasico for a while, but I haven't found the right idea. This was a lot of fun and also /really/ hard, because I had to get myself into an entirely new mindset and balance that fine line. But I'm happy with how it turned out.

Nico had been Jason's roommate for about three months, and only within the past two weeks had things began to feel anything more than awkward. Nico had finally strayed from his room long enough to do something other than microwave some food. He even once watched an entire movie with Jason in the living room.

Yes, Jason could see the days of sticky notes on the fridge flying away.

Jason was even starting to think that the little gremlin wasn't so bad. He always had his rent paid on time, did things around the house, and made enough food for Jason when he cooked. He even had a decent, if not uncomfortably morbid sense of humour.

Jason was almost ready to apologise to Percy for setting the initially awful situation up.

He managed to cajole Nico into joining him and a few friends to go to the club-bar-thing they frequented, promising that both Reyna and Annabeth would be there, and that Leo wouldn't give him too hard of a time.

He relaxed a bit after they got there and there was only the five of them. He was probably used to larger gatherings of their hyperactive group.

Nico sat between the two aforementioned women. "Percy's not coming?"

"He doesn't like to be around alcohol." Annabeth tipped her glass to her lips. "I don't even get a kiss good night when I drink."

There was a charged moment between them, but it seemed a familiar and played out thing. Jason had known there was something about Percy and alcohol, everyone had, but he'd never know what.

Obviously Nico had been around for that, as had Annabeth and Grover.

It was weird that this guy that Jason had never met before living with him knew one of Jason's closest friends better than him.

Annabeth put an arm around his shoulder, touching the side of her head to his. "I'm glad you came out tonight."

There was an awkwardness in Nico's face. Not the blunt dislike of being touched that Jason had seen when they first met, but something more subtle that he couldn't hope to place.

And in both Annabeth's and Reyna's faces he saw understanding.

Jason realised that it bothered him. He knew almost nothing about the man he'd been living with for months, and it made him uncomfortable. Sure Nico had been distant, and Jason had been giving him time to open up on his own, but he hadn't really tried before today.

It wasn't like him, and he didn't want to admit his own biases had got in the way. Nico was creepy, and Percy had spoken poorly of him when they'd first become friends, though he'd confessed later that he'd just been mad.

But what really did it was that Nico was hiding something, and not the tiny things everyone had. nico was hiding something massive, like a body. And Jason didn't trust dishonest people.

He also didn't like feeling so conflicted about Nico, because he seemed like a genuinely cool dude, and that made Jason dislike him all the more, which wasn't fair at all.

"I'm gonna get something to drink," He slipped off his stool with a slight stumble. "Who wants what?"

Leo, Reyna, and Annabeth tossed out their orders.

"Nico?"

He looked at Jason with a hint of suspicion.

"What are you having?"

Nico turned red. "I'm fine."

"You sure? The lines awful. We might not get another chance to go up tonight."

Annabeth nudged him lightly, and he gave her a look and squirmed. "Strawberry daiquiri."

Jason elbowed Leo in the side when he started to laugh. "Don't make me tell them about your twenty-first."

Leo paled. "You wouldn't."

Jason just smirked before walking off.

Annabeth saw him struggling with their drinks and helped carry them over, abandoning her "conversation" with Leo (it was an argument, but she got mad when anyone called them that, even as their voices were raised to shouts).

"Would you please tell Leo that you cannot make an upside down house where you walk on the ceiling? Because he won't listen to me."

"But if you have magnets-"

Jason tuned them out, like the others had. He set Nico's drink in front of him, waving his hand away when he took out his wallet. "It's on me."

Nico hesitated, his wallet still open. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's cool. You can just get me a drink next time." He punctuated the statement with a smile to show that he was being genuine.

Nico gave him a peculiar look as he slowly put the wallet away, searching his face; so Jason held his gaze. When he looked away he was pink again, and it made Jason want to laugh. This guy was so easily embarrassed it was almost cute.

Leo leaned into his side. "How come I don't get free drinks from you?"

Jason scowled. "Because if I paid for your drinks every time we went out, I'd go broke."

Annabeth snorted, causing Leo to reel back on her.

Jason turned to the others to see Reyna giving him a piercing, disapproving look, and he couldn't even begin to guess what he'd done wrong now.

* * *

It was easier to get Nico to hang out with him after that. Mostly it was in the living room of their apartment, but occasionally they went out to cafes or movies or even the park once.

Jason learnt a lot of interesting things about Nico over the next four months. He had a knack for pun, he loved technopop, he played free downloadable dating sims, he sung in the shower, he couldn't watch slasher movies, he didn't like swearing, and he had a sweet tooth like no one else.

And even though he still had that secret, Jason found it bothered him less and less the more often they ate cold pizza and watched movies on the couch.

Jason swore loudly, burying his face in a pillow when a monster popped up on the game Nico was playing.

"Language."

"How can you play this? You hate horror."

"Ghost stories aren't the same as that torture porn stuff you guys like."

"Yeah, okay." They'd been playing the game for three nights, and Jason was only sticking around to avoid that mocking he'd receive if he left. Though it was almost three in the morning, and he was getting tired.

Nico must have noticed, because he shut it off at the next save, though he obviously wasn't tired at all. "Finish tomorrow?"

Jason stretched his arms over his head, grunting. "Can't. I'm covering my coworkers overnight."

"Oh." Nico sounded a little disappointed, but not like it would kill him. "All right. Just let me know."

"Will do." He leaned his side into Nico's, his goodnight not-hug for Space McNo-Toucherson. "Night."

When Jason glanced back from the end of the hall, he saw Nico on his phone, probably making plans with Reyna. Another Jason had learnt was that Nico actually didn't like being alone for long periods of time. He got lonely easily.

* * *

Jason was half way to work when his coworker texted him to say that the funeral he was attending  was rescheduled because the woman’s son couldn't get the time off. Kinda late notice, but Jason wasn't going to complain about a surprise night off.

Nico was probably still out, so Jason swung by the Chinese place for take out and headed home for a quiet night in pyjamas.

After struggling an embarrassing amount with his keys, Jason swung the door open to find Nico pushing another man off of him, back flat on the couch, his wide, horrified eyes on Jason.

After a stunned moment where the two of them just stared at each other, Nico sat up, his face flushed. He wiped at his mouth and fixed his shirt, looking down. "You said you were working overnight."

He sounded accusatory, like he was the one who'd found Jason in an intense, horizontal, gay make out session.

Jason was also red. His fists were balled up and shaking. "Change of plans."

The man, whom Jason had never met, stood up. "I'm just gonna go."

"No." Jason held up a hand. "I'm just gonna go to Leo's."

The look of panic on Nico's face was staggering, and Jason realised that this was the secret.

It was difficult, but Jason took a breath. "Don't worry, I won't tell him about this." His voice came out bitter and harsh, and Nico flinched.

He was out the door a second later.

* * *

Leo laughed when Jason showed up at his door, explaining that Nico had someone over.

"I didn't even know he could get a girl. She must have problems of her own."

Jason grit his teeth, the image of Nico with that guy above him, making out on Jason's couch, made his stomach churn and his chest feel white hot.

"Dude, chill." Leo flopped down on his bean bag that he also used as a bed. "This dry spell you're in really got you this peeved?"

Jason bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm fine." He refrained from slamming the door behind him. "Let's just play a game."

* * *

When Nico jumped up from the couch when he walked in the next day, Jason just stormed past him and into his room, the image of Nico's broken face sticking in his mind.

Jason just couldn't be around him. Partially it was because of the roaring in his chest every time he thought about him and that guy, or any guy. He found his mind slipping to it at random, inappropriate moments. His stomach would twist and churn, and he wanted to punch something or someone.

But mostly it was because he hated feeling like this. This hatred was wrong. He didn't even know he was this person. He'd never been this person before. Was it because Nico was his friend? Or because they lived together?

He needed to get over it. And he couldn't do that if his anger flared up every time he looked at Nico. He needed help.

He went first to Annabeth and Percy, since they'd known him the longest.

"Did you know that Nico's gay?"

They both stared at him for a moment.

Annabeth glanced at Percy. "We've known for a while." She leaned toward Jason. "I hope you haven't outed him to anyone else."

Jason flushed. "I haven't."

"Good." She leaned back. "So why are you freaking out about it?"

He closed his eyes, trying to keep himself calm. "I walked in on him with a guy."

"Okay."

"Okay?" He stared at her.

"Yeah, okay." Annabeth drummed her finger on the table. "I've walked in on you and Piper. It's awkward for about two minutes. You did this almost a week ago."

Jason moved all the way back in his seat. "How do you know that?"

"Nico told us."

He shifted so he leaned over one side of the chair. After a moment's consideration he realised that made sense, and sat back up. "You know, I thought he must have liked you at some point with how much he seems to trust you."

Percy raised his hand. "That would be me."

Jason stared at him, wide eyed. He was suddenly short of breath. "Nico likes you?"

"Liked. Surprisingly it's why he and Annabeth get along so well."

She shrugged. "We bond over how dense Percy can be sometimes."

"Hey."

She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Sorry. I meant oblivious."

He stuck his bottom lip out. "S'not much better."

"Hold on." Jason put up both of his hands. "You mean Nico had a thing for you, and you didn't find that weird at all?"

"I find it weird every time someone likes me."

Annabeth barked out a laugh, making Percy grin.

He looked back to Jason seriously. "But it wasn't weird that it was Nico, not after the initial shock wore off."

Jason paled. His self-loathing settled in the pit of his stomach.

Annabeth scooted her chair closer to him. "Jason, are you here because you think you might be homophobic?"

He stared down at his hands. "I-"

Annabeth put a hand on his shoulder. "Jason, we've known you for five years, and I've never seen you be truly discriminatory toward anyone. Just ignorant."

He should have bothered him to be called ignorant, but having Annabeth tell him that he wasn't homophobic made the weight on his shoulders lessen.

Then it came back when he realised he was just clinging to what he wanted to be true.

He looked to Percy. Percy wasn't a peacekeeper the way Annabeth was. "But I'm angry, and it makes my stomach churn whenever I think about Nico being with a guy." Saying it out loud made a whole slew of emotions thrash around in his body. He shivered.

Percy and Annabeth looked at each other and had one of those wordless conversations obnoxious couples that have been together for too long had.

God he wanted to be one of those couples.

When they finished, Annabeth was grinning, and Percy looked uncomfortable, which could have meant anything for either of them.

Percy leaned over the table toward him. "I don't think it's homophobia, dude."

Now Jason was just confused. "Then what could it possibly be?"

Percy looked to Annabeth, and she gave him one of those girl looks that only the person dating her could understand. "I think you need to figure that out for yourself."

Jason groaned and leaned back. "And thanks for nothing."

Percy gripped his shoulder. "Any time, man."

* * *

 

A couple days later Jason got a text from Reyna to call her immediately or else. And, considering he got the text while at work, "or else" had chosen him. Still, he might as well get this lecture and/or threat to his livelihood over with. It wasn't like he didn't know what it was about. Reyna was Nico's best friend.

She told him to meet her at a restaurant near the mall "to talk".

He slipped into the booth across from her, rubbing his eyes, his glasses slipping off. "Lay it on me."

She was silent, and he looked up to see her staring at him with disapproval.

"I know, okay. I'm horrible and wrong. Can you just lecture me so we can get this over with and I can go sit in my car and think about what an awful person I am for a few hours?"

"And what would that accomplish?"

He sighed. "I don't know. You'd rid me of the last of my dignity?"

"As fun as that sounds, I'd rather you get your stick out of your ass and act like a decent person." She took a long sip of her drink, making him squirm as he waited. "Nico really likes you, and you're hurting him. He's even looking for a new place so you won't be uncomfortable in your own home anymore."

The sting of her tone was buried by his sudden rush of panic.

Nico was leaving? He hadn't wanted that. But, then, maybe it was for the best. Jason had been resenting him since the incident almost two weeks ago, and that didn't lend itself to a healthy living situation for Nico. If he found himself somewhere better to live, with someone who could be with him without judging or hating him, he could be happy.

But he would also be gone.

* * *

Jason went to the store Nico worked at, and waited outside for almost an hour for his shift to end. He'd been so fidgety and bored he'd almost missed Nico when he came out.

Jason noticed him jerk to a stop and stare at him. He looked up from his phone and smiled, though seeing Nico still made his stomach clench. "Hey."

Nico gripped the strap of his bag. "What are you doing here?"

Jason shrugged, though it was so stiff it had the opposite effect from what he wanted. "It's the only place I knew I'd find you."

"We live together."

"Yeah, but you're never there. And, look, I know it's my fault." He held up his hand to stop the biting retort on Nico's lips. "And you have every right to be pissed at me. I've been an ass."

Nico glared at him defiantly for a moment, then turned it to his feet.

"Look, I wanted to say sorry." Jason rubbed his neck. I hadn't realised you were gay and I was shocked when I saw you and that guy. It was the first time I've seen two guys kissing in real life."

Nico raised a brow at him. "Seriously?"

"I went to a private school where the only non-white person I knew was Reyna."

Nico laughed, which made Jason grin, but then it turned into a sob.

Jason ran to him, cupping his arms. "What is it?"

Nico took a deep breath. "I thought you hated me."

Jason bit his lip, and his response that, until earlier that day, so did he. "I could never hate you." He smiled awkwardly. "Who else would play that horrifying game with me?"

Nico stared at him, his breathing erratic. "So you don't have a problem with me being gay?"

There was a forced harshness to cover up the hope Jason could see in his eyes.

"I think I'm okay. Just let me know when that guy's over so I don't walk in on you two again."

Nico shoved his hands in his pockets. Jason could see there was something about the comment that was bothering him, and he waited for Nico to share.

"We broke up."

"What?" A cruel excitement pulsed through Jason at that, but he didn't want to face it. Not while he was with Nico. "What happened?"

Nico shrugged, forcing casualness that didn't quite convince. "He's low drama. Doesn't date closeted guys."

Jason pursed his lips. "Well that's dumb. His loss though."

Nico touched his chin to his chest. "My loss, too."

Jason put an arm around Nico's shoulder, surprised at how warm he was. He'd always imagined Nico being permanently cold. "Let's pick up some takeout and watch a movie or something."

"Can we play some more of that game? I've been wanting to know what happens."

Jason wanted to whine, but knowing that Nico hadn't continued without him made his chest warm. "Sure. I deserve some punishment, anyway."

Nico grinned, not disagreeing with him.

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks Jason found it easy to be with Nico, so long as there wasn't a hint of his attraction to another man. Which was not a good thing, but he wasn't sure how to deal with that and asking for help clearly wasn't helpful.

But he was also afraid. He was afraid to find out that he couldn't be friends with Nico, couldn't hang out with him all night, jerk awake in the early morning to find him curled up asleep on the other end of the couch, bring home pizza and watch movies, put away his toothbrush that had been left on the counter for the hundredth time. Because that's what would have to happen if this uncomfortable twisting in his chest didn't ease.

Nico was already doing too much by keeping this all inside.

And hey, what better way to deal with prejudice than to jump in feet first, right?

And that's the story of how Jason wound up at a gay bar with Nico, Reyna, and Annabeth.

He was surprisingly fine. He'd expected to see drag queens in feathers and a BDSM dungeon in the corner, but it was disappointingly normal. They even played a lot of the same tacky top twenty they did at the straight bars he'd been to.

Nico stared at him as the girls got their drinks, his arms crossed, his butt almost off the chair he was so far down it. "Why are we here?"

Jason squirmed. "I figured I need to get used to this."

Nico cocked a brow at him. "At a gay bar?"

"Is there a better place?"

"It's a bar, Jason. Everyone's drunk and outlandish and feeling sexy just like they are at every other bar. Would you take me to a straight bar if I was uncomfortable around straight people?"

Jason flushed. Ten points for ignorance. "Sorry."

Nico shrugged, looking away from him. "You're trying, I guess." But his face still showed that he was obviously bothered.

He scanned the room passively until his eyes locked on someone, and Jason followed his gaze to a lanky blond man who resembled the couch guy enough for him to pick up on Nico's type.

The uncomfortable feeling was back, now with a bit more spike since Jason was seeing it happen instead of just imagining it.

Then the guy headed their way.

He came up to Nico, sparing Jason only a glance, and smiled, his entire being casual and confidant.

Jason immediately disliked him.

"Wanna dance?"

Nico blushed, the colour mostly hidden in the dim light.

Jason had expected Nico to say no. He hated physical contact, even with friends. Only Reyna, Hazel, and Annabeth were exempt from that rule. But instead he looked down to hide a goofy smile, and took the guy's hand leaving Jason gaping.

Annabeth placed Jason's drink in front of him, looking around. "Where's Nico?"

He motioned with a flick of his wrists to the dancing couple, his lips thin.

Annabeth whistled. "Good for him. He's cute."

Jason stared at his drink for a very long minute before practically chugging it. He slammed the glass down with too much force, making Reyna jump. "I don't like that guy."

"Do you know him?"

He grit his teeth. "Well, no."

Reyna leaned back, crossing her arms. "Then what do you think this is really about?"

For a stubborn moment he almost convinced himself that the guy was sketchy, before putting his face in his hands. "I'm such a piece of shit."

Annabeth huffed and left the table.

"Jason." Reyna put a hand on his shoulder. "You're one of my best friends, so I feel obligated to tell you this." She took a deep breath. "You're an idiot."

She followed after Annabeth, leaving Jason confused and alone.

He had a good five minutes after that to play the interaction over and over in his head enough times for him to get even more stuck. What was he missing? Obviously everyone else knew, and they just weren't telling him. What great friends.

"Excuse me."

He jumped, having completely missed the man approaching him.

"Sorry." He held up his hands. "Did I interrupt something?"

Jason took a deep breath. "Nothing that I wanted to be thinking about." He gave the man a smile. "I'm Jason."

"Mitchell." He pointed to Nico's seat. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure."

Mitchell took the seat, leaning forward on his elbows. "This your first time here? I haven't seen you before."

Jason blushed, deciding to keep his homophobia to himself. "Yeah."

Mitchell nodded, unperturbed by Jason's short answer. "Where are your friends?"

Jason could suddenly feel Nico and his dancing partner behind him like a humid summer sun. He swallowed away the knot in his throat. "Off with other people."

"Same." He leaned toward Jason as a more upbeat song came on. "Friday's aren't necessarily the best time for figuring stuff out. Most people find it too much too fast."

Jason had to lean in, too, as the music grew louder. "I do have to admit, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed."

"Tuesday's are best."

Someone tapped Jason's shoulder, making him jump again, and almost fall out of his chair.

Nico was behind him, face hard. "My wallet's between you two." He reached over and grabbed it. "I'm not feeling well. I'm going home."

"What?" Nico was already walking off. "Nico." Jason got to his feet to chase after him, but he stumbled when his head rushed.

"Woah there." Mitchell caught his arm. "You okay?"

Jason sat back down, leaning back. "I don't really drink much."

"I can tell. You got a safe ride home?"

Jason motioned vaguely at where Nico had left. "I did."

He barely heard Mitchel swear. "You want me to take you home? I'd drop you in a cab, but I'm worried about your ability to walk."

Jason groaned. He really didn't want the others to know about this just yet. "Yes."

"All right. Where are your other friends, so you can tell them?"

"Probably in the women's room. I'll just text them."

"Okay then." He rubbed Jason's back. "I'll get you a bottle of water. You need the chaser. Then we'll catch a cab."

The ride back to his place was torture, with Jason thinking he was gonna vomit the whole way, and Mitchell reminding him over and over to take a drink of water. What a great first impression he was making.

Mitchell helped him up the three flights of stairs to his apartment when it was apparent he wasn't going to be able to make it himself. "You gonna be okay when you get inside?"

"Yeah. My roommate's here."

While he was digging through his pockets for his keys that he was becoming pretty sure he'd forgot somewhere, Nico opened the door.

Mitchel stiffened beside him. "Oh. Um, hello."

Nico looked from Mitchell to Jason. "What's wrong with him?"

"Too much to drink."

"So he came home with a stranger?"

"Okay, wow. Calm down." Mitchel held up his free hand. "I wasn't even gonna come in. It's against my moral code to leave someone in this state to get home safely."

Nico crossed his arms. "Well aren't you a knight in shining armour."

"Look, it's obvious I've managed to get on your bad side, so I'm just gonna pass Jason off to you and head out." He helped Jason to lean on the doorjamb. "And, for the record, I didn't realise you two were a thing, so I'm sorry about that."

Nico's face turned red. "We're not."

His short answer chipped at Jason, though it was true. He shuffled to the couch to lay down, also wanted to get away from this conversation.

"And you should know," Nico's voice seemed to raise as Jason moved farther away. "Jason's straight."

Jason curled up on his side to see Mitchell look at him, then back to Nico. "Are you sure about that?"

Nico seemed to start, his arms falling to his sides. Then he crossed them again, his shoulders tensing. "Yes. Now good bye."

He slammed the door in Mitchell's face and locked it. A moment later he was at Jason's side. "Are you okay?"

Jason nodded. His tongue felt ginormous in his mouth.

"Have you been drinking water?"

He nodded again.

Nico let out a breath, his face lighting up with relief. "Good. Hold on a sec, I'll get you some more."

Jason forced himself to sit up while Nico was gone. He still felt horrid, but he was sobering up. And with that damnable sobriety came the puzzle pieces that he'd been collecting all night. He still couldn't piece them together, but he was starting to recognise them as something maybe not explicitly homophobic. Or was that just wishful thinking?

Nico came back and Jason smiled at him. "Here."

Jason took a drink of water.

"Do you need me to get you the trashcan?"

He shook his head. "I think I'm okay."

Nico sat beside him. "What happened? You were fine when I left."

He shook his head slowly. "It hit me fast and hard."

He thought he heard Nico laugh. "It happens." He took a deep breath. "All right. I'm going to bed."

On an impulse Jason reached out and grabbed Nico's wrist. "Wait."

Nico twisted around to look at him. "Yeah?"

He was somewhere between knowing and not knowing what he was doing when he wrapped his arm around Nico's waist and kissed him.

Nico pulled back, staring at him with wide eyes, his breath brushing over Jason's face in quick, shallow puffs. "You're drunk."

After a moment of trying to think of an excuse, he just nodded. "I'm drunk."

Nico removed Jason's arm and placed it on his lap. "Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

Jason nodded, but his throat felt tight. He didn't think he could breathe.

But he did breathe. He didn't suffocate in the night, or drown in the tears that flowed everywhere inside him, but never from his eyes. And he woke up the next morning, so there was no spontaneous death that he'd felt so sure of just before falling asleep.

He pushed himself to sit up when Nico came shuffling into the room, groaning at the stiffness of his body and the very slight headache he had.

"Coffee?"

He nodded.

Nico brought him a cup a minute later, and Jason sighed deeply. Rarely did coffee taste so good. Usually it was just a tool to get him up in the mornings, or to stay up late. "Thank you."

Nico sat on the couch, his knees pulled up and facing Jason. He was hiding behind his cup.

"What is it?"

It took a moment for Nico to answer. He bit his lip and set his cup down. "Do you remember last night?"

He did, though he wanted to say no and pretend it didn't happen. But he couldn't do that to Nico. He took a deep breath. "Yes."

"How much?" Nico was pink.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

Jason locked eyes with him. "Every bit."

Nico swallowed, the sound a gunshot in Jason's ears. "Right." His voice cracked. "We should talk about that."

He sat up straight. "I think you're just lonely, and someone had been flirting with you."

Jason sat forward, placing his cup next to Nico's, and leaned his arms on his knees. "I don't think so." Even his voice shook. He clasped his hands together. "I think I might like you."

"Jason-"

"Please, let me finish."

Nico bit his cheek and leaned back, holding a couch pillow to his chest.

"I thought I was being homophobic because I got upset about you and that guy, or any guy. But it was only ever you I had a problem with. I didn't care about anyone else." He sighed, putting his forehead to his clasped hands. "But last night felt so right."

"You were drunk."

"I've kissed people drunk before. It didn't feel like that."

Nico squeezed the pillow tighter. "You've liked other people before. You should have recognised it before now."

He nodded sitting back. "You're right. That doesn't really make sense to me either. It just feels different with you."

Nico rolled his eyes. "So, what? You never really liked any of those girls?"

"No, I did." Jason resisted putting his knees to his chest like a child. "I just wonder if liking women feels different than liking men."

"That sounds like a dumb rationalisation."

"How would you know? Have you ever liked a woman before?"

Nico knit his brows. "Well, no."

"Then it could be true."

He shrugged stiffly. "Maybe."

A moment passed before Jason turned squarely to Nico, pulling one leg up. "So I like you, I'm pretty certain of that." He smiled at Nico's deep blush, hoping that it wasn't just him being uncomfortable. "But what about you?"

"Me?" Nico's voice came out breathy.

"Yes. How do you feel?"

He buried his face in the pillow. "Very put on the spot."

"You're the one who said we needed to talk."

Nico curled up on his side. "Because I thought I knew exactly how this conversation was going to go."

Jason reached out to touch him, hesitated, then followed through, putting his hand on Nico's leg. "If you don't like me, it shouldn't be that hard to say. Just tell me no. You know you don't owe me anything."

Nico looked at him and heaved a deep chest sigh. "I can't."

It hurt as much as he'd expected it would, and he realised he'd got his hopes up. He actually thought Nico liked him, too.

He pulled his hand away and stood up. "Okay." He took a deep breath, straightening his back. "I'm gonna go to my room now."

"What?"

He forced himself to smile. "I just need some time alone."

Nico looked so confused it stalled him. "Jason, I just..."

Now Jason was confused. "Wait, what's happening?"

"I just told you I liked you." He sounded so small and frail.

Jason fell back onto the couch, taking a deep breath. His chest was suddenly fluttery, feeling odd with the pit in his stomach. "But you said you can't."

"Can't tell you I don't like you."

"Why would you say it like that?" His frustrated tone clashed with his grin.

"I just answered you."

Jason took Nico's hand, pulling him forward so the two of them sat beside each other. "Does this mean I can kiss you now?" He played with Nico's fingers. "Because I think I really like kissing you."

Nico chewed his bottom lip, and the wait filled Jason with an anxious energy. He began tapping his foot.

Finally, after forever, Nico nodded.

And Jason kissed him, falling back and pulling Nico on top of him. He sighed contentedly, his eyelashes fluttering.

He didn't want to say anything, just wanted to lay here forever and hold Nico, just rest with him there on his chest, and occasionally kiss him.

Maybe he'd call out of work. Mono sounded like a good excuse. The kissing disease. He laughed.

Nico gave him a confused look and he shook his head. "It's nothing."

He kissed Nico again, long and slow, savouring it, smiling into him. On this stupid couch where it all began.


End file.
